Locking mechanism for internal-combustion engines



Dec. 14 1.1926. 1,610,496

H. A. DOUGLAS LOCKING mscmuusm FOR: INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES s isheets-sheet 1 Filed June 27; L925- Willi"? Ja wimq Dec. 14,1926. 1,510,496 I H. A. DOUGLAS LOCKING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed June 2'7, 1925 3 SheetSheet 2 (III/IL II VIIIIIIIIIA 'III'I/ IIIIIIIIIIIIIII #2203122 5 #wrg fiw zaa Dec. 14 1926.

H. A. DOUGLAS LOCKING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTIbN ENGINES Filed June 27 9 3 Sheet at 3 4 Patented Dec. 14, 1926.

" UNH'ED STATES arent, orifice.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS, F BRONSON, MICHIGAN.

Application filed June 27-, 1925. Serial No. 40,082.

My invention relates to power plants and is of particular service in connection with those power plants which are employed for operat ngv automotive vehicles, the invention I, being especially useful in connection with power plants that employ internal combustion hydrocarbon engines, the invention in some of its characteristics relating par ticularly to such power plants.

My invention involves the employment of means for locking a power plant in nonoperative adjustment and the provision of electro-magnetically controlled mechanism for adjusting thepower plant to a usable condition. In carrying out my invention I employ releasing electro-magnetic mechanism having a plurality of controlling switches and preferably of energizing windings with a controlling circuit for each. In order to effect the operation of the releasing electromagnetic mechanism it is nec essary to operate all the switches and to establish each of the plurality of circuits of the electromagnetic mechanism at one r time, any number less than the whole number 01? these circuits being incapable of et footing the operation of the electromagnetic mechairsm. Any person that is unfamiliar with the equipment, such as a thief desiring to steal an automobile, might not have so much diiliculty in establishing one of these circuits but his ditiiculties would be increased ii he seeks to establish them all, due to the confusion that would be experienced in selecting the proper conductors and effecting the connection thereof with the source of current employed to energize the windings. The time ordinarily would not permit oi: the experimentation required to gain simultaneous control over all the circuits.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the electromagnetic mechanism is employed to adjust means that will permit the application of operating energy to the engine or motor of the power plant. In the case of an internal combustion engine I employ an additional throttle valve located between the carbureter and the engine, this valve beingpreferably adapted for closure by a spring against the force of which the valve is opened by the electromagnetic mechanism which desirably functions through the intermediation of a step by step device which is operated a step each time a plurality of magnet windings are together energized.

The invention l will be more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention'employed in connection withthe power plant of an automotive vehicle; Fig. 2 is a sectional view or" the preferred .form of switching iiiechanism taken on line 2-2 or F 3-; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on lineB-fiiof Fi 2- F i n 4 is a sectional view .on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; V

Fig. 5 is asectional view on line 5-. 5 of Fig. 2; F g. 6 1s. a sectional view ofthe locking mechanism that is preferably em .ployed. in connection with the switching mechanism, this view being taken on line (36 oi Fig. 3 Fig. 7 18 a front elevation of the lockmg mechanism; Fig. 8 1s. a longitudinal sectional view taken through a portion of the piping extending from the carburetor'to the engine, the added. throttle valve 1n this piping and the mechanlsm; for

placing this throttle valve in open and grounded at oneend and connected with a contact 6 atits other end. The four con tacts 6 of the four ignition circuits are arranged in a circular row which is concentric with a revoluble switching arm adapted to engage the contacts 6 in succession. The switch. arm 7.is carried upon a shaft 8 which is driven byfthe engine through the intermed-iation. of an engine driven pulley 9 and a pulley 10 driven by the pulleyQ through the intermediation of a belt 11. The shaft 8 also. carries a circuit interrupting cam wheel 12 that serves to vibrate the circuit interrupting switch 13 which is included in aninducing ignition circuit arranged tobe supplied with current from the batteryor generator 14 of direct current, or from the direct current magneto generator 15, in accordance with common practice. The magneto generator 15 is driven by the pulley 16 upon the same shaft with the pulley 9, the pulley 16 driving the pulley 17 that is upon the shaft 18 on which the armature of the magneto generator is disposed, as is well understood by those skilled in the art. When it is desired to charge the battery a suitable switch is closed, the hand switch 19 being shown for this purpose by way of illustration.

In the system shown the battery 14 is included in the inducing circuit when the power plant is first set into operation, whereafter this battery is cut out of the inducing circuit and is replaced'by the magneto'generator in this circuit. The inducing circuit when including the battery may be traced from ground through the battery, the switch contact 20 then engaging contact 21 as will be explained, the inducing wind-- ing 22, the circuit interrupting switch 13 to ground, the contacts of the switch 13 be ing desirably shunted by a condenser 23, as is usual. The inducing circuit when containing the magneto generator may be traced from ground through the magneto generator, the conductor 24, the spring contact 25, the contact 21 then engaging spring contact 25 as will appear, the inducing winding 22-, the interrupting switch 13 to ground. The spring switch contact 21 is mechanically adjusted by the operating arm 26 having a hump 27 arranged to enter notches 28, 29, and formed in the periphery of a ring 31. The notches are of different depths, notch 30 being shallowest, notch 29 the deepest, and notch 28 of a depth midway beween the depth of notches 29 and 30. In operation the ring 31 is turned clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1. lVhen the ignition circuit is to include the battery and exclude the magneto generator, the hump 27 upon arm 26 is received in the notch 29 whereby spring contact 21 is permitted to engage contact 20. When the magneto is to be included in the ignition circuit in place of the battery, the ring is turned a little further to bring the hump 27 into the notch 30, whereupon the spring contact 21 is swung by arm 26 into engagement with the contact 25.

lVhen the switching mechanism is to be brought into idle adjustment in which neither battery-nor magneto generator is in the ignition circuit, the ring 31 is turned to bring the hump 27 into engagement with the notch 28 to adjust the arm 26 to hold the contact 21 in mid position between the contacts 20 and 2 5 and out of engagement with both of these contacts. The induced circuit includes the induced coil 32, grounded through the switch 13 and condenser 23, the rotating switch arm 7, the particular contact 6 happening to be engaged by the switch arm 7 and the contacts 5 pertaining to this particular contact 6.

The engine illustrated is operated by air a port therein that is controlled by a needle 'valve 37 the gasoline finding entry into the mixing chamber 33 of the carbureter. Tlmixing chamber is included as a portion oi "piping 29 that connects the intake ports and intake manifold of the engine with the bureter and external air. This carburete" includes an air valve 40 and a throttle va 41, in accordance with common practice. add a throttle valve 42 between the engine on the one side and the carburcter and throttle valve on its other side. he added throttle valve- 42 is fixed upon a shart 4;. A coiled spring 44 serves, when free to act, to turn the valve 4-2 to a closet position. A segmental ratchet 45 is fixed upon the shaft A pawl 46 is adapted to turn the ratchet 45 step by step in a clockwise direction to turn the shaft 43 and the valve 42 on the shaft step by step to a fully open position (Fig. 13), the opening of the valve 42 being completed during the last few steps of movement of the ratchet. The battery is not connected in the inducing ignition circuit until the valve is in its fully open position so that the power plant is not operable until the valve reaches this fully open posi tion. The holding dog 47 holds the ratch' 45 to the position to which it is turned an; against the force of the spring 44. A pin 48upon the ratchet 45 is employed to break the connection of the dog 47 with the ratchet when the spring 44 is to be permit-tel to function to place the valve 42 in the closed. position illustrated in Fig. 1.

This pin is caused to function when the ratchet steppe another tooth beyond the number of required to place the valve 42 in a completely opened position, the pin 48 operating when the ratchet 45 is given this additional movement, to engage the dog releasing arm 49 that is journaled upon the shaft 43, the arm 49 being then moved by the pin 48 to engage and lift the dog 47 out of engagement with the ratchet 45, whereupon the spring 44 is permitted to function.

I desirably employ electromagnetic mechanism for operating the pawl 46 step by step. This electromagnetic mechanism includes three coils 50, 51 and 52 arranged upon a common magnetizable iron core The coils are cumulatively wound. The two coils 50 and 51 are adapted for serial connection and therefore together constitute one winding. The coil 52 itself constitutes another winding. Each winding is included in a circuit individual thereto, it being necessary to close the circuits-0t both windingsin order to magnetize the core 53 sufliciently to attract the armature 54 upon which the pawl 46 is pivoted. A spring serves to restore the armature 54 and the pawl 46 each time the core 53 is deenergized.v The circuits tor the coils 50, 51 and 52 include the battery 14 which is common to these circuits. Assuming that the valve 42 is in the fully closed position illustrated in Fig. 1, in order to fully open the valve from this position to the position shown in Fig. 13, the circuits of the three coils 50, 51 and 52 are simultaneously intermittently closed and opened. This may be done by means of a ring 56 of insulation havingthereon a series of teeth 57, corresponding in number to the number of step by step movements ofthe ratchet 45 required to turn the valve 42 to a completely open position. In this instance there are eight such teeth. ring 31, is locked when the valve 42 is in a completely closed position, as will appear. It is therefore necessary for an unauthorized user to know the number of interruptions required to step the valve 42 to its fully opened position. The wheel 56 is turned clockwise as viewed in Fig.1, and as-it is turned the teeth 57 are brought successively into engagement with the contact arm 58. The contact arm 58 is, consequently, engaged with the spring contact 59 and this spring contact 59 is engaged with the contact 60, the three co11tacts58, 59 and 60 being electrically connected each time the contact arm 56 is completely raised by the engaging tooth 57. The circuits for the magnet coils 50, 51 and 52 are consequently closed and opened each time a tooth 57 rides into and out of enga ement with the contact arm 58. The circuit for the magnet winding 50, 51 may be traced from! the grounded battery 14 through the contact 60, the contact 59,

the contact 58 and coil 50, the contact 61,

the contact 26 then pressed into engagement with the contact 61 by an unnotched portion 01" the ring 31, the coil 51 to ground. The circuit is at the same time established for the winding 52 traceable from the grounded battery14 through the contacts 60 and 59, winding 52, to ground. vVhen the ring 56 has been turned to close and open the circuits thus traced eight times, the shaft- 43 has been turned to place the valve 42 in a completely open position, Fig. 13, the spring 44- being at the same time placed under in-,

creased tension by the turning movement of the shaft 43. When the valve is in this completely closed, position, the hump 27 upon arm 26 is locked in the notch 29, to

include the battery 14 initially in the inducing circuit as hitherto traced. When the engine has been set into operation the ring 31 is turned to bring the hump 27 into the notch 30 in which the magnetogenerator 15 This ring, as is also the is substituted for the battery 14 in the inducing circuit. Vfhen it is desired to stop the engine and to lock it against unauthorized use, the ratchet 45 is given another step of movement, a result which is occasioned by turnmg the wheel 56 sutficiently to bring the tooth 62 intocngagement with the switch arm 58 and thereby bring t.-is switch arm into electricalconnection with botli contacts 59 and 60, whereupon the three cells 50, 51 and 52 are again energized to cause the pin 48 to turn the dog releaser 49 sufiiciently to lift the dog 47 out of holding engagement with the ratchet 45 whereu 3011 the s rin 3 h 44 will turn the valve, 42 to a completely closed position. When the valve is closed the dog releaser 49 is removed from engage ment with the dog 47 to permit this dog to function in the next cycle of operations.

It is understood that when the tooth 62 thus when the loci; barrel 65 is turned. This lock barrel is mounted to turn in a lock casmg 66. Inwardly spring pressed plungers 67 are provided in the lock casing 66 and tumblers 68. are provided in the lock barrel against rotation, the valve 42 then being in completely closed positlon.

The rings 31 and 56 together with the contacts operated thereby are located within a casing 7 0 closed at its rear end by a disc of insulation 71, this disc 71 being assembled with the casing by means of bayonet pins72 on the disc that enter corresponding bayonet slots in the A mounting plate 7 3 1s assembled casing. with the front end of the casing, this mounting plate being provided with, holes '74 through which assembling screws may be passed. A housing 75 encloses the locking mechanism, this housing being surrounded by the mounting plate and fixedly assembled with the casing and the lock casing 66.

Changes may be made without de'partin troniniyinvention. Havmg thus described my invention, l

claim:

1. The combination with an internal comlie lid

nits 03-3121ill011 of the engine mil 1 )ustion engine including a member movable b tween two positions in one of which it permits operation of the engine and in the of which it prevents operation of the r I, of electromagnetic means for movf member, and switch in ans control- I, ope ion of said electromagnetic ele i on leans being i pluralitv of separate Windcns including a plu- 1 internal comling uel supply con i valve movaole tocontrol the flow 'uel through said conduit; of electro- "a'netic means for moving said valve, and

controlling the operat electromagnetic means, saic el means being composed of i ty 0]? seiarate windings ill of Which are required to be energized simultaneously t eti'ect movement of said valve, and Salt switch means including a plurality or switches connected together for collective operation and operable to close circuits through said windings successively.

lhe combination with an internal coinbnstion en ine including a member movable 'een tvro positions in one of which it perand in the other of which it prevents operation of the enine; of an electro-magnetioally operated paul and ratchet mechanism for moving said in inben and means controlling the operation of said m chanism, said mechanism including a )lurality of separate windings all of which are required to be energized simultaneously to cause said mechanism to eitect movementof said member, and said controlling means including; a plurality of switches individual to said windings.

bustion engine includin a member moral between two POSlillOllS in one of ion 1 :1. v71 1 J- r :n t* i )"nt'i a v *i On lCl o no 1 1b plevcn s ogcimion cl uie gine; ot-yieldable means constantly urging said melnoer toivarcs a position in 1t prevents operation of the oi L l e, electrol, 'l he combination with an internal con:-

pern its operation of the engine and 1 *ctro-mag netic n'ieans to said member, and said including a plurality of to said windings.

Ehe combination with an interne= ustion inggine including a member Jctneen two positions in one of Whicl oi": the engine and i the UL which it prevents operation of the e electromagnetic means for mov' Lember and means contro opera 1 -il:3 a uaid electromagnetic means, said on gnetic means incluu. a plurality of 7c separate windings adapt l to be en 11 collectively intermittently to irnoart lay-step movement to said me control means including it switches connected together operation and operable to a through said vlndings successive In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

HARRY A, DOUGIAB. 

